eSports betting sites

In recent years, betting on esports has become a popular activity between gaming enthusiasts in Nigeria. Although it’s seen by many as the future of online sports betting, some Nigerian sports enthusiasts still have questions about what esports are and how they are revolutionizing the sports industry.

Luckily, we’re here to answer every question you might have.This guide aims to introduce you to the exciting world of esports betting, including what to look for, how to find the best esports odds and what are the most popular electronic sports to bet on.

This is esports

Esports, also known as electronic sports, is a genre of multiplayer video games played competitively by professional gamers. Although the first video game competition was over 50 years ago, electronic sports only became popular throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s. 

It’s estimated that over 500 million people watch esports competitions regularly, with more than half considering themselves enthusiasts. Its widespread popularity means that many people also enjoy betting on esports.

But what made it become trendy in the first place? The answer comes down to three main factors: the widespread popularity of live streaming, tournaments, and the funding provided by game developers.

The genre is typically associated with five types of games – first-person shooters (FPS), real-time strategy (RTS), multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), collectible card games (CCG), and battle royale (BR) games. 

Electronic sports are massively popular in many regions throughout the world, including Asia, Europe, and the US. Currently, the competitive gaming industry is valued at nearly 1.44 billion US dollars (₦663,206,400,000) and is expected to grow at a rate of 21% per year. China alone accounts for over 30% of the market’s value, according to data from 2020.

History of Esports

Even though the concept of esports is relatively recent, video game competitions aren’t. The world’s first video game tournament took place at Stanford University in 1972, where students would compete for the highest score on a game called Spacewar. 

In 1974, Sega, the legendary game developer, hosted the All Japan TV Game Championships, a series of 300 regional competitions. In 1978, the Space Invaders Championship was brought to the US, with over 10,000 competitors taking part in the tournament.

The 1980s saw the greatest development regarding gaming competitions, one of which remains the largest video game competition of all time – the Konami Track & Field. Over one million players from North America and Japan participated.

This decade is also home to other world records, including the first televised game competition. Other notable examples include the British TV shows That’s Incredible! and First Class, which contained video game competitions.

But none of these games were online. Players would simply compare records and aim for the highest scores. In reality, the first game to use servers to match players and track statistics was Netrek.

One of the first competitive genres in gaming were fighting games, especially Street Fighter II, which was launched in 1991. In this game, two players could fight against each other playing on the same console. Its popularity led to the development of several tournaments and championships. The 1990s were also the decade where the first gaming leagues were introduced, such as the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) and QuakeCon. 

Esports as we know it became popular in the 2000s. Many Asian adults were unemployed and turned their attention to video games. This was also the time when internet cafes became popular in Asia, especially South Korea.

Another turning point during the 2000s was the foundation of the G7 Federation – an association of seven major Counter-Strike teams, many of which were still active up to today, such as Fnatic, NiP, and MIBR. This era also saw the introduction of dedicated gaming TV channels.

Twitch, an online streaming website, is considered a catalyst in the popularity of esports across the globe. This is also when esports betting started to become a thing. Back then, the only way of betting on esports was using skins, in-game items that change the appearance of your weapons.

Later that decade, several universities in the US recognized esports players as athletes and began awarding scholarships. The first countries to recognize this activity as a sport were Russia and China, in 2011 and 2013, respectively.

Nowadays, it’s one of the largest businesses within the gaming industry, with million dollar tournaments and competitions being hosted across the world every year. These include The International for Dota 2, the League of Legends World Championship, and the CS:GO Major Championship.

Why bet on Esports?

You might be wondering: why should I start betting on esports instead of sports like football or basketball? Well, the answer is simple – esports betting offers a new experience compared to traditional sports. It also has various advantages not many sports enthusiasts know about. Here are a few reasons sports fans are signing up at the best betting sites for esports in Nigeria:

1. The esports industry is constantly evolving: Games are always being updated with new items and mechanics, which adds diversity to the way you bet. Developers keep changing the gameplay to ensure the game remains balanced and competitive.
2. Betting on esports is like traditional sports wagering: This one may seem to go against what we previously said, but hear us out. Although the experience is different, the bets you can place are very similar. When betting on esports, you’ll come across outrights, over/under, and other bets.
3. Most esports betting sites accept cryptocurrencies: Esports and payment methods accepted at esports betting sites have one major thing in common – technology. This means you’ll find many modern ways to place a bet, including cryptocurrencies.
4. There’s always a game taking place: There are always new esports tournaments and competitions being played. You don’t have to wait until the season starts, whether you’re betting on League of Legends or Dota 2.

Biggest esports games to bet on

If you can think of a game with a large player base, it’s likely there are teams playing it competitively. Most esports betting sites offer a wide variety of titles to bet on, including FPS, RTS, or MOBA games. This can range from small online competitions to huge worldwide events with millions of fans streaming it. 

You’ll find exactly what you’re looking for at Nigerian betting sites, whether you prefer betting on CS:GO or Rainbow Six. Meet some options you’ll find at the best betting sites for esports in Nigeria:

League of Legends

League of Legends is a team-based MOBA game where two teams of five players fight each other. The game has over 150 characters, also known as champions, to choose from, each with different abilities and powers. To win, players must destroy the enemy’s nexus, a crystal-like structure in the middle of their base.

If you’re looking to start betting on League of Legends, you’ll notice there are dozens of high-level teams playing League of Legends competitively. The best teams in League of Legends include Gen.G, T1, and EDward Gaming. 

Dota 2

Dota 2 works like League of Legends in terms of how the game is played. The game is also a team-based MOBA where two teams of five players fight against each other. For these reasons, betting on Dota 2 is like betting on League of Legends.

It has the same three-lane layout as League of Legends, although the characters are named heroes instead of champions and have different abilities. To win, you’ll have to destroy your enemy’s ancient structure.

According to the Electronic Sports League (ELS), the current top teams in Dota 2 are Team Secret, Team Liquid, and Team Aster.

Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)

CS:GO is an FPS game played with two teams – the Terrorists (T) and the Counter Terrorists (CT). The Terrorists must detonate the bomb at one of the bomb sites or eliminate all Counter Terrorists. Counter Terrorists must defuse the bomb planted or eliminate all Terrorists before the round ends. There’s also a hostage rescue mode available, although it’s not commonly played competitively.

Before betting on CS:GO, we recommend checking the rankings to find the best teams. At the time of writing, the top teams were Heroic, Outsiders, and G2.

Age of Empires

Unlike the games previously mentioned, Age of Empires betting spans across multiple titles, including Age of Empires I: Definitive Edition, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, and Age of Empires IV. In this RTS game, players are tasked with building and developing a civilization in order to destroy their opponents.

The worldwide rankings for the best Age of Empires teams depends on which game you’re looking at. Team GamerLegion, Team Secret, and Vietnam Legends are found among the top spots in all games.

Rainbow Six

Rainbow Six is a series of games that was first introduced in 1998. However, the game that’s actually played competitively is Rainbow Six: Siege. The game is played with two teams of five players – the Attackers and the Defenders. The goal of the Attackers is to break-in a building to retrieve the hostage, while the Defenders survive or keep the hostage from being taken.

You’ll find many teams to bet on at the best betting sites for esports in Nigeria, including TSM, FaZe Clan, and Team Empire.

Honor of Kings

Honor of Kings is a mobile MOBA game released by Tencent, one of the world’s largest game developers. Similar to Dota 2 and League of Legends, Honor of Kings is also played with two opposing teams of five players. The game has 20 heroes to choose from, each having different skills. As you’d expect, the goal is to destroy the enemy’s base.

Currently, the world’s best Honor of Kings teams are Wolves, eStar Pro, and Gank Gaming, all from China.

Warcraft

Warcraft is a game series developed by Blizzard Entertainment. There are two Warcraft games that are commonly played competitively – Warcraft III and World of Warcraft. The former is an RTS where players must develop their base and create minions to destroy their opponent, while the latter is a combat game in which teams of three face each other. 

The best Warcraft III players of all time include Happy, Moon, and Grubby. When it comes to World of Warcraft, the best teams are Cloud9, Golden Guardians, and Wildcard Gaming.

Valorant

Valorant is an online FPS featuring two teams – the Attackers and the Defenders. Similar to CS:GO, the Attackers must plant a bomb, which is called the Spike, on one of the bomb sites in the map, or eliminate the Defenders. On the flip side, Defenders must deactivate the Spike or destroy all Attackers. The best teams currently playing Valorant include LOUD, Fnatic, and FunPlus Phoenix.

StarCraft 2

StarCraft 2 is a space-age RTS game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The goal of this game is to defeat your opponent by collecting resources, developing your base, and creating attacking units. Unlike other games on this list, StarCraft 2 is usually played individually. The best players in 2022 were Serral, Reynor, and Maru. 

King of Glory

King of Glory is the unofficial name given to Honor of Kings. The different name has to do with the fact of how the game’s name is translated from Chinese. For more information, please check the section about Honor of Kings.

Summary of best betting sites for esports in Nigeria

Esports is the fastest-growing sport of the 21st century, with millions of fans worldwide. Many online betting sites in Nigeria are offering its sports fans the chance of betting on the world’s most competitive electronic sports.

However, it’s important that you take your time to choose the best betting sites for esports in Nigeria. Doing so will allow you to benefit from a wider variety of events, fair odds, and better sports betting bonuses. 

Are you ready to join this exciting industry? If so, create an account at one of our recommended betting sites to get started.